The Foundation currently has a team of nine dedicated staff on hand. (To contact the Foundation, please use: aldgateandallhallows@portaltrust.org) All staff have received a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificate.
The Foundation’s Staff
Richard Foley – Chief Executive
Richard has been Chief Executive of the Foundation since 2008. Richard has a Master’s degree in Management from the Cass Business School; he is Vice Chairman of the Box Clever Theatre Company; a Board Member of the Tower Hamlets EBP; Governor of a primary school; a member of the London College of Fashion’s Made for Change (Social Enterprise) Advisory Board; adviser to the Schools Funding Network and sat on the 2013 Philanthropy Exhibition and Publication Steering Committee, involving the Charterhouse and Museum of London. Richard received the Freedom of the City Of London in 2002 and is a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Educators.
Anne Dance – PA to the Chief Executive/Chairman and Board Events Officer
Anne joined the Foundation at the end of February 2016. Anne has worked as a PA/Secretary for many years in the insurance industry and in pensions administration. She has a NVQ Level 3 Legal Secretaries Diploma and Microsoft Office Plus Diploma. Anne has liaised with pension scheme trustees with regard to preparing agendas, minutes and various meeting papers for trustee meetings. Anne’s hobbies include travelling, socialising, playing an acoustic guitar and reading.
John Hayward – Administration Manager
John joined the Foundation in July 2019. He graduated in Modern History from the University of Westminster and since then has specialised in charity governance and management, previously holding senior positions at the Magistrates’ Association and the British Society of Gastroenterology.
John is active in voluntary service in London, and since 2014 he has been a trustee of the London Community Land Trust, which provides an innovative model of affordable home ownership.
He currently serves as Secretary of the Trust and Chair of the Human Resources Committee. He is also a school governor in Tower Hamlets and helps to run a homelessness outreach project in Soho.
Carl Hanser – Grants Manager
Carl joined the Foundation in September 2021. He has been a charity professional for over 20 years, he has experience working with several client groups including young people, education professionals and the differently able, he has, throughout his career put in place several policies and agendas to assist people through difficult times and helped develop individual aspirations for a variety of charities.
Carl was attracted to the role at the Foundation due to the values he believes he shares with the Foundation, “I believe I can help those who want to stay in education and assist London’s young people to develop their potential, I know I can add to the long-term success of the Foundation and the people the Foundation support and care for”.
Outside of work, Carl is the father of a teenage boy beginning his GCSE’s, loves to travel, collects Marvel comics and is always searching for the perfect burger. He also loves to walk his dog on the banks of the River Thames where he has a home.
Lee Hunnisett – Senior Grants Officer
Lee joined the Foundation as a Grants Officer in June 2018 and was promoted to the position of Senior Grants Officer in September 2019. He took his undergraduate Psychology degree at London Southbank University before moving on to BPP where he studied for the Graduate Diploma in Law. He has worked in the charitable sector for the past six years, with a focus on prisoner welfare and education. He is experienced in bookkeeping and administration and his hobbies include reading and travel.
Jane Miller – Grants & Events Officer
Jane is one of the longest serving members of staff at the Foundation. Jane is the Grants and Events Assistant and also supports and helps out with organising events which we have each year. Jane also assists in the processing and the administration of the Foundation’s grants. In 2013 she achieved NVQ Level 4 in Business and Administration.
Fedinia Olonade – Finance Officer
Fedinia is the Finance Officer and has worked at the Foundation since 2004. She is currently studying towards the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) qualification after which she intends to qualify as a chartered accountant. Fedinia is a mother to 4 sons, and in her spare time she enjoys reading, taking part in quizzes and listening to music.
John Mead – Buildings Manager
John joined the Foundation in March 2015 as Temporary Buildings Manager. He holds numerous Institution of Occupational Safety and Health certificates in safety and building management; NVQs in customer care, property maintenance and cleaning. He has a long association with the Foundation as he managed the Sir John Cass’s Foundation Primary School site for fourteen years. He also assisted with the yearly Founder’s Day, held in the school and other prestigious Foundation events through his association with the Portsoken Volunteers (militia). John is the Assistant District Commissioner for Westminster Scouts; Assistant Group Scout leader for the 1st City of London Scout Group and District Advisor on safeguarding for four London boroughs. He is also on the council of the London Children’s Flower Society and Treasurer for a local community gardening group in the City of London. His hobbies include: beekeeping, military re-enactment, reading, gardening, as well as being a certified Horticulturist & Arboriculturist.
John was installed as a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Gardeners by the Master of the Company, Margaret Holland Prior JP on the 5th July 2018.
Michael Thomas – Grants Intern
Michael is the newest addition to the trust and is working towards a maths degree part time while he works. He comes from working for just over a year at the salvation army HQ in London. Michael is eager to stay in the charity sector as he finds fulfilment in helping to improve the lives of others. He hopes to one day combine this with his love of numbers in order to find his dream job. His hobbies include badminton, reading, music, and video games.